I love brands and e-commerce and start-ups. I've spent the last six years building Bonobos to be the leading digitally-driven menswear brand. Our flagship store is Bonobos.com and we now have 150 in-person points of distribution including our 8 guideshops which are e-commerce stores. Guys: at Bonobos we are known for combining great-fitting and great-looking clothing with great customer service. Ladies: Sign-up at AYR.com for a sneak-peek of our upcoming women's brand.

Firstly, thank you for your The Risk Not Taken article. It made me change the way I think.

Secondly, that time you had a promotion at Bonobos where you could get $100 if you found a little man in paisley pants hidden somewhere on the website... Yeah so, being a developer, I decided to write a script that would do the job for me. The script parsed bonobos.com 4000 times and then it finally found the man. I used that $100 to buy your pants and when they arrived they... didn't fit. Karma is a bitch, haha. Sorry for that.

I don't have a question for you but my best friend and I are building a fashion inspiration search engine that I think you will like. Can we chat?

Bonobos has an amazing return policy (anything, all the time) - what happens to all those clothes that get returned? Do they get resold? What about the clothes that come back heavily used? Is this cost/loss just built into the original prices?

Never heard of you guys but on a trip to the US found sone travelers jeans at the rack and bought 2 pair. I wish I'd bought a third. They're my fav pants now. ( to bad you don't sell in Europe. What's the eta on that?)

For men who lift heavy things everywhere allow me to personally thank you for creating leg coverings which properly conform to our lack of chickenlegs. I searched long and hard for something that would fit at all, much less perfectly.

I think the smartphone is the biggest disruption to retail since the automobile. The internet was just the beginning. Now it's the internet at your fingertips.

We have a huge vision @Bonobos for how data science, mobile, and how online and offline retail are going to collide. What we're doing right now as a first step is building a world-class engineering, product management, UX, and design team here in our offices in NYC.

We're looking right now for a stellar head of product management -- what some would call a head of product, others would call a growth hacker or head of growth. If you know who we should talk to, let us know.

PS I think this impacts men and women in equally exciting ways; wait till you see what we're doing with www.AYR.com. Right now it's just an email splash page, but a lot more to come there once we have a live site.

Our quality metrics and our net promoter score are actually increasing. That said reading this is a reminder that we still have miles to go.

Where are you? We'd love to have you to a Guideshop to see the product and make it up to you. We'd also love to intro you to our latest assortment, which I think is the best yet in terms of across the board design and quality.

Alternatively let me un-earth your dialogue with the Ninjas and figure out how to solve for what's gone wrong and what we can do.

I'm really interested in how online retailers break down the barriers between e-commerce and in-store shopping. Can you provide any stats on how frequently people take advantage of Bonobos' free shipping on returns and what impact it's had on the business overall?

One of the reasons e-commerce is such a tough business, and has so few IPOs (excited for ZU to come out tomorrow!), is that free shipping and returns erode your margin if your primary business is selling other people's brands.

According to Medium it's been read some 23,000 times, which is bananas when you see how boring and technical it is.

What's exciting about what Bonobos and AYR and MaideGolf are doing -- our family of brands -- and what companies like ASOS and Warby Parker are doing, is we're vertically integrated into our brands -- which means we own a very different gross margin structure than someone selling third-party brands as their core business.

I actually start working in one of your guideshops on Monday. I'm worried it's a bit too silly but its a neat idea nonetheless, could evolve into something bigger. I'm still in the pre-planning stage, but you guys will be hearing from me very soon!

I've been a fan since the days of the children's collection and radioslactives!

Bonobos are the coolest animal in the animal kingdom. Basically they empower women to run their societies, which is what humans are slowly learning to do. They have a lot more fun and a lot less violence because of it.

Magnetism. Authenticity. Tenacity. And the precious oh so precious ability to Evolve.

At redswan.vc we call it M.A.T.E.

Recently we invested in a company called Hinge. It's a social-mobile dating app, think a classier Tinder. Justin McLeod went four for four on those qualities in our view. Having them doesn't mean you will win; I do believe it means you are giving yourself a good shot.

Hey Andy! Been a supporter of Bonobos since the beginning and was even a field ninja at one point! My first question is this: do you see video playing a bigger role in e-commerce in the near future? I feel like I would be much more likely to buy if I could see clothes worn and modeled on video like Zappos does with shoes.

so what do you think has been your key resource in creating such an interactive and enjoyable online experience?

side note: I reference you guys in my online marketing class all of the timem you guys seriously do everything we are told works and more! just the other day i even proved my prof wrong that i could get a company to answer an inquiry on their facebook page within ten minutes. not too hard! always appreciate you guys! thanks Mr. Dunn

Having a talented team of energetic and empathetic people who are the front lines of talking to your customer is core to what we do. Having them co-located with the rest of the teams is core to what we do. Our Ninjas sit here with us in NYC and they are part of why our customer experience is so awesome.

Humans! Who would have thought would be so important to building digitally-driven brands?

Thank you for the response! I attend Bemidji State University in Northern Minnesota. I'll be finishing up my bachelors in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing this December. The program here is actually quite phenomenal for such a small University but rumor has it that we are getting a business graduate program within the coming year.

in your opinion is it in my best interest to travel to a more prestigious school or do what is convenient and use my marketing knowledge to market myself?

As you've branched out into the wholesale channel through Nordstrom, what are the key factors you've had to take into consideration as you develop an assortment for that channel that will enable it to be effective without cannibalizing on your online business? what is your thinking as you move forward?

In short: it's the same assortment, they're great/reasonable people which enables them to stand out as the clear partner of choice, and our e-commerce (web + guideshop) business is going to maintain the lion's share.

Someone once asked me if e-commerce was going to enable people to sell products most cheaply.

My answer is: sort of. I think it's hard to actually be cheaper as there are costs to e-commerce retail which rival in-person retail. This is a bit of what my E-Commerce is a Bear essay on Medium is about:

The cost structure could be better, but it requires a lot of scale. Very few vertically-integrated e-commerce companies have that scale yet so we don't yet know what's possible.

When e-commerce driven brands start, they often talk about taking out cost. I think what you find is that this only happens when you're breaking a monopoly on supply chain or distribution in an industry. Warby Parker did this nicely, and there's an astute blog post by Jamie Quint on the matter:

Otherwise, it's hard to compete with the other offline players who are at huge scale. I think Everlane's an awesome brand. That said, so is Uniqlo and so is Zara and they have SO much scale.

I think what we're definitely seeing is that the e-com driven guys can deliver a bundle of great product and great service which is more value for the same price. And in that way deliver pressure where consumers get more value for their dollar.

In short, price is about strategy and cost.

In terms of trend? I think it's branded e-commerce. It's a brave and exciting new world of branded e-commerce:

Another huge trend IMO is going to be the massive shakeup that is beginning to occur as distributors attempt to build brands and brands attempt to become distributors (via e-commerce). The retail world is going to look a lot different in 10 years.

Great article Jamie. I agree that the formula doesn't work particularly well outside of a few products no matter how hard you force it. With the exception of cologne and perfume (which a few are attempting to disrupt), I don't see too many other high-priced items that meet the same criteria. Warby Parker and Harry's/Dollar Shave found the perfect products to take direct-to-consumer.

I'm wondering why you think Everlane was able to launch so well amidst a ton of competition by starting off with such a simple product in blank t-shirts. I mentioned this in a post down below, but I'm having such a hard time wrapping my head around all these apparel companies and kickstarter campaigns selling blank garments. I can't figure out how they're going to be able to build brand loyalty with so little branding. Even with a product like boxers, MeUndies and Mack Weldon have some good distinction. I don't see the same for t-shirts with the exception of fit and quality, but these seem like more difficult value propositions to sell to consumers when you're a brand new company and they can't see your product in person.

(The main thing that stands out to me with their launch was their incentivized referral program was one of the first I'd seen applied to that realm.)

IMO they succeeded because they built a brand that was positioned like a James Perse or Vince and priced like Old Navy. Its easy to make stuff that is cheaper, but really hard to nail the brand perception. If you're able to do it you open up the audience of everyone who wants the higher end product but either can't afford it or isn't willing to pay the price. In Everlane's case they nailed the brand and that market was a lot of people.

In general, I think the Americana trend going on in fashion over the last few years certainly helped, it was the initial driving force behind the brand. They were a simple Americana brand that was not overdesigned (most brands are) or overpriced, and people embraced that.

Canadian here. Love your store and all but it sucks not being able to take advantage of your return policy (shipping both ways costs money for us =() to size properly. At one point I remember CAD shipping was like $70. What's up with that ?

Btw you guys should give a headsup for people who take the UPS option, they add a custom fee which is usually more than the custom charge itself.

What I love about Nordstrom is we have common values around delivering a superior customer experience. In an increasingly vertically-integrated, own your own distribution, e-commerce driven world, I think wholesale is terrific marketing. Only a few department store players are going to survive, and Nordstrom is not only surviving but thriving because they're so focused on the customer, and they "get it" on what's happening digitally and in e-commerce. Witness their investment in Bonobos and their acquisition of HauteLook. Visionary, if I do say so.

We do amazing at Nordstrom with our weekday warriors, newly available in slim fit there:

What would you say was the biggest step from college start up to leading online menswear brand? where did you gain the knowledge to successfully adapt to the ever-changing online environment? Especially in the earlier years where the mobile market was such a random variable at the time.

I could never have started Bonobos out of college. We started Bonobos out of Stanford business school because that is a very magical place where I met lots of people who believe that the future can be made as much as it is received.

Some people can do it out of college. Like Evan Spiegel. I remember meeting him in my office just about a year ago and thinking: wow, he's good. He really knows what he wants to do and why. I wasn't that good at that age, nor did I have a "growth mindset", so I had to learn some stuff and develop some insight before I got going.

Andy Rachleff has a cool career guide at www.wealthfront.com that might help you think about joining a company vs. starting a company.

just a random question: is Spaly alive? what is he even doing these days? What made you stay when he opted out? I've heard that he left during some "dark days" in the company's past. Care to elaborate on what you saw that made you stick it out?

Not really a question, just wanted to say that my friend Jess Lam turned me on to your website and I've been using it all the time ever since and I love it! He actually works for your company so I thought I would do a little name drop if you ever come into contact with him. Anyways, love your site and your story! Keep up the good work!

Hey Andy, how did you resist the urge to sell Bonobos brand in 3rd party retail in the first year or two? Balancing the need for upfront cash from retail deals and the ability to control the consumer experience is difficult. I am facing this struggle right now with my brand as we break into the market.

Where did you come up with the idea to let your "ninjas" talk to customers in such an honest and awesome manner?
Every interaction I've had with them has made my day, I've gone back and forth with a few of them just talking about random awesomeness.

Also, I'm wearing your pants and shirt right now. (Not YOUR pants and shirt, that'd be a bit weird...but pants and a shirt that I purchased from your company)

I was sitting in front of Craiglist in 2007 and wondering how do hire a customer service person when CSR is such a "bad" word. Ninja came to mind as a way to hold people to a hire standard. We hired Marshall Roy and the rest is history.

Andy, I've followed Bonobos for the last few years. Great Story! If you were going to startup again and use Kickstarter or another crowdfunding platform. How would you go about getting the word out - outside of friends and family?

As a former NYC based finance guy that was in the core of your market demo, I vividly remember getting turned on to Bonobos' pants when you guys first launched and buying my first pair. It was awesome to see someone come at a market that seemed saturated (at first glance) with a product that people were really asking for (well-fitting men's pants that were affordable but had style) and crush it.

There aren't too many people that have done that successfully. Bonobos, Warby Parker and Method soaps come to mind. For you guys, how did you establish a core following at the beginning? Did you actively target NY professionals or was it more broad? Do you think that the myriad of options of targeting through the internet enables or distracts from creating a successful brand?

I have a strong belief here that editorial PR, viral word-of-mouth, and founder-driven direct selling are the only three reliable ingredients to get your first $1 million of sales. It's brute force. And the product has to be really, really good. You can get $25K selling a so-so product, but you can't get $1M on just the backs of the founders and a couple early employees without having really, really good product.

One thing that helped us was we raised small check angel capital from some forty already customer-turned-angel investors who could then help us spread the word and push the brand.

I also think a great brand in this digital era is also a great story, so it helped to have a memorable name (Bonobos), a memorable service team name (Ninjas), memorable pocket liners in the pants.

That said, I think in a way it's simple: the pants were great, and the service-driven distribution model -- e-commerce -- is a disruptive way to reach a lot of people quickly. But the pants being great is the starting point.

What I think is challenging is when you think being e-commerce driven will save you from not having to have a stellar product that fills a void and inspires people.

So our founders, early employees and most importantly our customers need to be our street team at the beginning. Brute force does indeed work, especially when you have a cluster of people applying it. The key is, as you say, having an incredible product that customers can then spread the word about.

I am trying to apply what you and others have done (and our own spin, of course) to nutritional supplements. Expect a follow up!

I think this is a great point. I came across the Tommy John underwear brand at Nordstrom and they seem to have a strong web presence now like Bonobos did starting out. They make the best undershirts and underwear I have found for the money. I read their story and they started in Nordstrom first and then grew the online business. Do you think its better to start with wholesale partners first and then go online so your brand has healthier margins but can get the volume price breaks with large distribution like a department store has?

I just turned 19 and I'm working as a App Developer/Business Analyst II at a bank. I really don't see myself working for other people in the comming years. I have a business idea I went over with a few friends (other developers) and began starting on the project. I was wondering what the next step would be to find investors. We're practically done developing it. Sorry in advance for typos (on phone).

It's no secret that the e-commerce space gets more competitive each and every day, especially in fashion.

How important do you think innovation is in regards to staying above the competition? How much time and energy is spend on trying to offer services on Bonobos that have never been offered anywhere else before?

When you were first starting Bonobos, what took up most of your focus/time/effort? I think your layout (especially when you first launched) was original, simple, and fantastic and I am wondering how much time you put into the build out vs the fashion vs marketing.

I created an ecommerce store for another company. It's doing several million a year in sales, but unfortunately I am unhappy with the overall situation. I built something from nothing, don't have any equity in the company, am not appreciated, and I don't get paid what I should be paid.

Right now, I'm trying to find jobs in ecommerce, but unfortunately they all seem to be for programmers, or they don't pay well.

I know ecommerce pretty well, but the problem is that it's a skillset that no company is actively hiring for. What would be your recommendation for finding an alternative to what I'm currently doing?

1) The maker movement has taken over Kickstarter, with basically every piece of apparel being "re-thought and re-invented" from scratch. To me it seems that while these products are successfully funded, they don't really create brands (I don't see the next Outlier or Everlane in a lot of these campaigns.)

What trend do you think can be extrapolated from all this and do you think Kickstarter creates a sort of Groupon-like effect (customers want good deals, but don't feel loyalty to the brand)?

2) Sort of related: In menswear, there seems to be very little interest in graphic tees, with the exception of some of the subtle branding of places like Saturdays NYC or Save Khaki. Customers buying blank, staple items seem far more interested in quality and fit. However, in the booming streetwear market, brands like Johnny Cupcakes and The Hundreds have outrageously loyal followings that buy their clothes regardless of the graphic (a bit hyperbolic, but for the most part.) Do you see an inbetween or intersection in which these two directions will meet?

You are seeing brands being created on Kickstarter, you have to consider that for something to really enter public consciousness takes a long long time. Everlane was founded almost 4 years ago, a lot of these Kickstarter projects just started in the last year, and there are a number that are doing quite well (including ones that have raised further money from institutional investors)

Just bought "The Deerfield" on Saturday at the new Austin store and arrived yesterday. Probably one of the best looking jackets I have ever purchased. Just thought i'd show my appreciation. Damn do I want to work at Bonobos

HEY NINJAS!! Love you guys. By far some of the BEST customer service I've ever experienced.

I really wish y'all would begin to include clothing in the 38-42W arena, and a couple more relaxed fits on your suiting. It seems that everything is tailored to fit a slimmer individual and I'd love to continue to buy your fantastic products - My selection is generally pretty restricted.

Hi Andy, thanks for the AMA. Funny enough I was working for a startup company only two blocks away from your nyc offices (I was an admin/exec assistant); and a bunch of us got laid-off recently because they are essentially going under.

What do you believe is the core aspect of your company which sets you apart from other startups? Where do you project your company going over the next 5-10 years?

My former job relied on a daily revenue stream in order to make money (though online advertising); and I can see now how building a company based just off this is a bit flawed and not always good for the long-term...Bonobos makes high quality products though, with great customer service, which is what I personally think sets you guys apart!

they actually have a deal with nordstroms! essentially a small trade between the two.Nordstroms needs help with online marketing and relationship building (Bonobos is expert!) and Bonobos can always appreciate the shelf space.

We have eight brick and mortar stores! They're called Guideshops. They are first of their kind e-commerce stores. Get a world-class service experience from our Guides, figure out what looks great on you, place an order, and go home or on to your next step hands-free as we'll ship it to you.

Wait, just read your whole question, it seems you know the guideshops. We are selling stuff. We are just not fulfilling stuff at the time of transaction. That's the key difference between a store vs. an e-commerce store. But they're both bricks and mortar.

I've been a long time fan of Bonobos and I hesitate to say that I take extreme advantage of your free returns / exchange policy. I've noticed (as well as many members of a fashion forum that I frequent) that the cut of your pants (inseam, length, leg opening, thigh circumference, etc.), as well as other Bonobos brand merchandise such as shirts, tends to vary widely. Most of the time the difference isn't that big but other times it is very noticeable. Have you had any complaints about this? Are you doing anything to improve the consistency? If you go on eBay there are tons of Bonobos pants which have been presumably been rejected and had the tag striked through with a sharpie.